Department for Education

Industry: Carbon Emissions

Lord Browne of Ladyton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given (1) to introducing a national and regional skills strategy to provide reskilling opportunities within low carbon sectors, and (2) to the benefits of investing in reskilling and retraining in low-carbon and climate resilient industries, to address unemployment arising from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Baroness Berridge: The government is committed to making the skills system more responsive to employer skill needs both locally and nationally, and to equip young people and adults with the skills they need to have productive and fulfilling careers. We are working with employers in all sectors including those in the ‘green economy’ to jointly design and deliver policies and programmes to do this.We are investing in a network of Institutes of Technology around the country – flagship training providers that will help to drive regional growth in key areas like engineering, advanced manufacturing and construction by meeting technical and higher technical skills needs.We recently published reforms that aim to make higher technical education a high-quality, prestigious and popular choice. Through our reforms, we will introduce a national approvals scheme to show which higher technical qualifications (including those addressing needs in low carbon sectors) deliver the skills that employers want. We will also raise the profile and understanding of higher technical education through a public campaign and improved information, advice and guidance.There are a number of apprenticeships available in the green and energy sectors including Building Energy Management Systems (BEMS) controls engineer, community energy specialist and dual-fuel smart meter installer, and we are committed to ensuring people of all ages can benefit from the high-quality training that an apprenticeship offers. To help support employers to offer new apprenticeships, employers are now able to claim £2,000 for every new apprentice they hire under the age of 25, and £1,500 for those 25 and over.Alongside these wider adult skills reforms, the government is providing £2.5 billion (£3 billion when including Barnett funding for devolved administrations) starting this Parliament, for a new National Skills Fund to help adults learn new skills and prepare for the economy of the future.As part of this, my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister, recently announced the launch of the trial of digital bootcamps to support local regions and employers to fill in-demand vacancies. We will expand these out to wider areas of the economy and parts of the country next year.My right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister, also announced, as part of his Lifetime Skills Guarantee, that for adults who do not currently have a level 3 qualification, the government will be fully funding their first full level 3 through the National Skills Fund.Currently, adults who are between the ages of 19 – 23 are eligible for full funding for their first full level 3. We are now extending eligibility for a first full level 3 so adults who are above the age of 23 can also benefit from level 3 courses and qualifications with high economic value and strong alignment with government priorities. We will continue to work to ensure that the National Skills Fund aligns and supports important cross-government priorities, including the UK's ambitious clean growth agenda.We are committed to consulting on aspects of the National Skills Fund. We are continuing to review the ongoing implications of the COVID-19 outbreak and we are considering the most appropriate time and approach we can take to launch the consultation, ensuring we have meaningful discussions with employers, providers and users.In the meantime, we will engage closely with stakeholders as we continue to develop detailed plans for the National Skills Fund, including considering what role the fund could play in meeting more immediate needs in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Carbon Emissions: Trade Agreements

Viscount Waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have toensure that trade agreements will contribute to theUK's net zero carbon emissions target.

Lord Callanan: The Government is committed to negotiating free trade agreements which help support our ambition on climate change and achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. These agreements will facilitate trade in goods and services which support the deployment of low carbon, carbon capture and energy efficient technology in the UK, underpin international cooperation in research and development, and reaffirm the UK’s sovereign right to regulate to take the measures necessary to end our contribution to global warming over the next three decades

Department of Health and Social Care

Coronavirus: Airports

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the case for carrying outCOVID-19tests at UK airports.

Lord Bethell: Scientific analysis conducted by Public Health England and approved by the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies showed that a single test on the day of arrival would reduce the number of infectious international travellers who enter the community by only 7% compared to a no self-isolation, no test scenario. This is compared to an estimated 99% reduction in the number of infectious international travellers entering the community for a 14-day self-isolation approach.

Drugs: Manufacturing Industries

Lord Balfe: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to review their powers to deal with pharmaceutical companies that make significant increases to the cost of their drugs.

Lord Bethell: Prices of branded medicines are controlled through the 2019 Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicines Pricing and Access and equivalent statutory scheme. There are no controls on prices of generic medicines. Instead, we rely on competition to drive prices down which has led to some of the lowest prices in Europe. In some instances, where there is no competition, some very large price increases have been observed. The Competition and Markets Authority has a number of live investigations into excessive prices of generic medicines.The Department also has powers in the National Health Service Act 2006 to control the prices of NHS medicines. Those powers were updated in 2017 in respect of generic medicines and data provision. The Department has been considering proposals for ways to address high prices of generic medicines, on which it expects to consult.

Care Homes: Coronavirus

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the findings of Amnesty International's reportAs if expendable: the UK Government's failure to protect older people in care homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, published on 4 October.

Lord Bethell: Since the start of this pandemic we have been working closely with the sector and public health experts to put in place guidance and support for adult social care. We have taken steps to ensure residents and staff are protected, including testing all residents and staff, providing 208 million items of personal protective equipment, ring-fencing £1.1 billion to prevent infections in care homes and making a further £3.7 billion available to councils to address pressures caused by the pandemic – including in adult social care.Residents’ individual circumstances must be considered in any decisions, ensuring that their human rights, personal choices, safety and dignity are upheld. Early in the pandemic, we outlined the importance of this through the Adult Social Care Ethical Framework.We keep our policies under continuous review based on the emerging international and domestic evidence and will consider Amnesty’s report as part of this. On 18 September, we published our Adult Social Care Winter Plan which included several additional measures to support care homes during the pandemic.

Coronavirus: Gatwick Airport

Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatCOVID-19 testingcapabilities existat Gatwick Airport; and how much any such testing capabilities have been used in each of the last eight weeks.

Lord Bethell: The Government does not publish data in the format requested.

Coronavirus: Screening

Baroness McGregor-Smith: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the success rate of a singlepolymerase chain reaction test for COVID-19, in terms of a percentage, for people with COVID-19 who have previously received a false negative result.

Lord Bethell: The Government does not publish data in the format requested.

Coronavirus: Airports

Viscount Waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many COVID-19 tests have been conducted at UK airports since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lord Bethell: The Government does not publish data in the format requested.

Medical Treatments: Infectious Diseases

Baroness Finlay of Llandaff: To ask Her Majesty's Government what measures are in place to verify that all practitioners providing (1) special treatments, and (2) other non-surgical cosmetic treatments, are taking suitable control measures to prevent and control the transmission of (a) COVID-19, and (b) other infections.

Lord Bethell: The Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 gives local authorities powers to regulate the hygiene and cleanliness of the practice of businesses providing special treatments. Local authorities also have general enforcement powers under health and safety at work legislation if they judge that there is a risk to customers’ health and safety.Providers of aesthetic services should ensure they have taken the necessary steps to become COVID-19 secure in line with health and safety legislation and Government guidance on close contact services and working in other people’s homes. Where applicable, practitioners should also take into account any guidance issued by the healthcare regulators or a relevant professional body.

Coronavirus: Contact Tracing

Lord Birt: To ask Her Majesty's Government what insights they have gathered from the NHS COVID-19 Test and Trace service about the main circumstances in which the virus is transmitted.

Lord Bethell: To help understand the circumstances in which COVID-19 is transmitted, a wide variety of real-time data at both local and national level is published in the Weekly COVID19 Surveillance Report in an online only format on GOV.UK.The virus is transmitted when a contact spends time with someone who has COVID-19. This includes face-to-face contact (for one minute), being coughed on, or spending more than 15 minutes within two metres of someone with COVID-19. While those who test positive cannot say for certain where they picked up the infection, they can indicate possible places. Data from 13 to 20 September, shows the most common potential event, positive cases indicated where they may have picked up the virus as; eating out (14.6%), followed by shopping (13.4%). Then for contacts of a known positive case this was indicated from within households (59.8%), followed by visiting the positive case in their household (13.7%).

Non-surgical Cosmetic Procedures

Baroness Finlay of Llandaff: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number ofcomplications that occur as a result of non-surgical cosmetic treatments in the UK; and what are the annual costs to the NHS in England of correcting such complications.

Lord Bethell: The Government is committed to improving the safety of cosmetic procedures through better training for practitioners and clear information so that people can make informed decisions about their care.Neither the Department nor its arm’s length bodies hold or collect data on non-surgical aesthetic treatments. Officials continue to work with stakeholders to explore the options for enhanced data collection and reporting mechanisms in this area. This could include the prevalence of cosmetic procedures, adverse reactions to procedures, and the incidence of consumers seeking treatment through NHS services for health complications following private cosmetic procedures.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Housing: Older People

Lord Foulkes of Cumnock: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the proposal for the creation of a new task force on meeting the current and future housing and care needs of people as they age in communities, as recommended by the Associated Retirement Community Operators in its report Planning for retirement: How retirement communities can help meet the needs of our ageing population, published in June; and what plans they have, if any, to establish such a task force.

Lord Greenhalgh: The Government welcomes the work of specialist older people’s housing providers in building homes and meeting the needs of our aging population. We are already engaging with specialist providers as we take forwards our plan to build the homes our country needs including through our reform and modernisation of the planning system. Ministers and officials will continue to engage with this sector going forward.

Housing: Insulation

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking, in addition to the Fire Safety Review, to support people in shared ownership properties who cannot obtain a mortgage due toa lack of a cladding test certificate.

Lord Greenhalgh: The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) designed and implemented the External Wall System form (EWS1) in conjunction with mortgage lenders to assist in the valuation of high-rise residential buildings for mortgage purposes. Not all lenders request an EWS1 form, and the Government does not support a blanket approach in EWS1 use for lower risk properties. We are working with mortgage lenders to support a more pragmatic approach in their valuation of homes within multi storey residential buildings. We are encouraging lenders to accept a broader range of evidence to assure themselves of a build’s value. This could include a fire risk assessment that includes external walls or a recent building control certificate.

Ministry of Justice

Marriage: Humanism

Baroness Burt of Solihull: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to extend legal recognition to humanist marriages.

Baroness Scott of Bybrook: The Government announced in June 2019 that the Law Commission will conduct a fundamental review of the law on how and where people can legally marry in England and Wales. As part of that review, the Government invited the Law Commission to make recommendations about how marriage by humanist and other non-religious belief organisations could be incorporated into a revised or new scheme for all marriages that is simple, fair and consistent. The Government will decide on provision on the basis of the Law Commission's recommendations.The Law Commission has now published a consultation paper as part of its review and will welcome responses from all.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

UN Security Council: Powers

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 5 October (HL8353), what is their process for triggering an assessment of indications of the existence or risk of atrocity crimes; and what mechanism is in place to oversee the assessment process.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's (FDCO) monitors the horizon for indications of atrocity crimes, or the risk that they may be committed, through its wider assessment of situations of concern. HMG's 'Countries at Risk of Instability' process helps policymakers prioritise countries and regions for potential government engagement. Joint Analysis of Conflict and Stability studies, which are often conducted to underpin UK National Security Strategies, provide a systematic approach to identify possible interventions that can address and reduce all forms of conflict, armed violence and instability.In addition to this internal reporting, the FCDO draws on data from external stakeholders including the UN Secretary-General and his representatives, experts and officials, as well as other multilateral organisations. The FCDO also engages extensively with human rights non-governmental organisations and civil society. For example, HMG is working closely with partners, civil society and experts to monitor the risks of further atrocities in Myanmar. In June 2020, HMG coordinated an in-country statement with partners (Australia, Canada, US) to call on the military to cease 'clearance operations' in Rakhine and ensure civilians were protected.Through the FCDO's development programming we are ensuring UKAid is focused on addressing the drivers of instability and conflict as well as funding better analysis on the ground.

Pakistan: Ahmadiyya

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatrepresentations they have made to the government ofPakistan about safeguarding the Ahmadi Muslim community, following the killings of Naeem-ud-dine Khattakand two other Ahmadi Muslims in Peshawar; when they last discussedArticle 18 of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights with the government of Pakistan; and what response they received.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK Government remains deeply concerned by reports of discrimination and violence against religious communities in Pakistan, including against the Ahmadiyya Muslim community. We are deeply concerned and saddened by the murders of Tahir Ahmad Nassem on 29 July, Meraj Ahmed on 12 August and Dr Naeemuddin Khattak on 5 October in Peshawar.We engage at a senior level with the Government of Pakistan on the mistreatment of religious and ethnic groups, including from the Ahmadiyya, Christian, Hazara and Shia communities. On 27 August, I raised our concerns regarding Freedom of Religion of Belief and the protection of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community in Pakistan with Pakistan's Minister for Human Rights, Dr Shireen Mazari. I also raised Freedom of Religion or Belief concerns with Pakistan's High Commissioner to the UK, Moazzam Ahmad Khan, on 8 October.

Department for Work and Pensions

Carbon Monoxide and Gas Safety Society: Anniversaries

Lord McKenzie of Luton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to mark the 25th anniversary of the charity CO-Gas Safety.

Baroness Stedman-Scott: The Government has a firm commitment to gas safety, underpinned by legislation such as the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998. The Department does not routinely mark charity anniversaries and has no separate plans to mark the 25th anniversary of the Carbon Monoxide and Gas Safety Society.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Bread: Sugar

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Supreme Court of Ireland's ruling inBookfinders Ltd -v- Revenue Commissioners on 29 Septemberthatthebread used by Subway cannot (1) be defined as bread, or (2) classed as a staple food, due tothe amount ofsugar it contains; what plans they have to review the Bread and Flour Regulations 1998 to ensure that thelegal description of bread meets public health criteria; and what steps they intend to take to promote public understanding of the sugar levels contained in bread used by fast food chains.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: I am aware of the recent judgement by the Supreme Court in Ireland in the case between the Revenue Commissioners and Bookfinders in respect of Subway in Ireland. I agree it is an interesting case, not about the general definition of bread or cake, but about specific VAT rates payable for different goods and services, in respect of exemptions to higher tax rates that rely on specific definitions of food. One of these is to define bread, for taxation purposes, as containing no more than 2% of any of a number of substances, including sugar. The court held that this was designated in order to avoid the exemption falling to the supply of food not considered a ‘staple’ for which the exemption was designed, but to ‘indulgences’, which for example might include cakes and pastries. The Bread and Flour Regulations 1998 (BFR) define bread as a food of any size, shape or form which is usually known as bread and consists of a dough made from flour and water, with or without other ingredients, which has been fermented by yeast or otherwise leavened and subsequently baked or partially baked. This definition is intended for consumers rather than for tax purposes. The BFR are in place primarily as a public health measure to support population intakes of four nutrients. They require therefore that flour sold in the UK (with a few exemptions) must be fortified with calcium, iron, niacin and thiamine, the latter three being simply restored after being lost in the milling process. Defra has committed to reviewing the BFR, as they apply in England, after the Transition Period. This will take into consideration regulatory concerns raised by industry and any potential legislative changes that might arise from the joint UK Government and Devolved Administrations consultation on the proposed additional requirement to fortify flour with folic acid to help prevent neural tube defects in foetuses. “Tackling obesity: empowering adults and children to live healthier lives”, published in July, confirmed that we will introduce legislation to require large out-of-home sector businesses, including restaurants, cafes and takeaways with 250 or more employees, to provide calorie labels on the food they sell. We will also encourage smaller businesses to provide calorie information voluntarily and will consider extending the requirement to include them in the future. The Eatwell Guide, the UK’s healthy eating model, and associated messaging is promoted through a range of channels including the NHS.UK website, the GOV.UK website, and the Government’s national social marketing campaigns Change4Life and One You.

Home Office

Marriage: Ceremonies

Baroness Burt of Solihull: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many (1) places of worship were registered for solemnising opposite-sex marriages, and (2) denominations those registered places of worship belonged to, in each of the years from 2013 to present.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: A total of 1311 Places of Worship were registered for solemnising opposite-sex marriages since 2013.Further details can be found in the attached table in relation to the numbers and denominations in each year. None in 2020. HL8664 - Table  (docx, 39.2KB)

Refugees

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussionsthey have had withlocal authorities about whether they have capacity to welcome refugees to their area.

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had withfaith communities in the UKabout anynew proposalsfor the settlement of refugees.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: We maintain regular dialogue with a variety of resettlement stakeholders, including local authorities, Strategic Migration Partnerships and other support providers. To date, our resettlement schemes have been supported by over 300 local authorities across the UK, and we are extremely grateful for this support.Additionally, the successful Community Sponsorship Scheme puts in place the Government’s commitment to develop a scheme to allow community groups, charities and faith groups to support refugees directly.Due to coronavirus (COVID-19) related restrictions and pressures, both overseas and in the UK, it is not currently possible to undertake any refugee resettlement activity. We continue to evaluate how to respond given these restrictions and pressures, but we expect to resume refugee resettlement activity when safe to do so.

Asylum: Ascension Island

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they carried out any analysis of the potential cost of moving and accommodating asylum seekersto Ascension Island; and if so, what those costs were.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The UK has a long and proud history of providing protection to those who need it, in accordance with our international obligations. Tens of thousands of people have rebuilt their lives in the UK and we will continue to provide safe and legal routes for the vulnerable to do so in the future.Meanwhile, we have seen unprecedented numbers of journeys to the UK by small boat in 2020, which are both dangerous and facilitated by criminals, and so we are determined to render these journeys unviable.The Department has been developing plans to reform our illegal migration and asylum policies to ensure we are able to provide protection to those who need it whilst preventing abuse of the system and the criminality associated with it. As part of this, we have explored likeminded states’ responses to similar situations in order to consider the various options that exist for deterring people from undertaking these dangerous journeys, exploring a range of options, including those that have been employed by other countries in similar situations. No decisions have been made by Ministers and we continue to work to find the right approach for the UK.

Asylum: Housing

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what the estimated cost per week is for each asylum seeker staying in an accommodation centre.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: Accommodation costs are considered to be commercially confidential, so we do not provide this information.However total asylum spends are published as part of transparency data https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/migration-transparency-dataData is published on a quarterly basis with the latest information covering until 30 June 2020. The next quarterly figures are due to be released in November 2020.

Asylum

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have held with the governments of (1) Moldova, (2) Morocco, and (3) Papua New Guinea, about their suitability as UK asylum processing centres; whether each of these governments has indicated their willingness to agree to the establishment of a UK asylum processing centre; and what estimate they have made of the cost per asylum seeker of establishing and maintaining such a centre in each location.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The UK has a long and proud history of providing protection to those who need it, in accordance with our international obligations. Tens of thousands of people have rebuilt their lives in the UK and we will continue to provide safe and legal routes for the vulnerable to do so in the future.Meanwhile, we have seen unprecedented numbers of journeys to the UK by small boat in 2020, which are both dangerous and facilitated by criminals, and so we are determined to render these journeys unviable.The Department has been developing plans to reform our illegal migration and asylum policies to ensure we are able to provide protection to those who need it whilst preventing abuse of the system and the criminality associated with it. As part of this, we have explored likeminded states’ responses to similar situations in order to consider the various options that exist for deterring people from undertaking these dangerous journeys, exploring a range of options, including those that have been employed by other countries in similar situations. No decisions have been made by Ministers and we continue to work to find the right approach for the UK.

Asylum: Ascension Island

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have abandoned any proposals to move applicants for asylum in the UK to Ascension Island; what other proposals for the movement of such applicants to other countries are still under consideration; and whether they will place a copy of any documentation relating to such proposals in the Library of the House.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The UK has a long and proud history of providing protection to those who need it, in accordance with our international obligations. Tens of thousands of people have rebuilt their lives in the UK and we will continue to provide safe and legal routes for the vulnerable to do so in the future.Meanwhile, we have seen unprecedented numbers of journeys to the UK by small boat in 2020, which are both dangerous and facilitated by criminals, and so we are determined to render these journeys unviable.The Department has been developing plans to reform our illegal migration and asylum policies to ensure we are able to provide protection to those who need it whilst preventing abuse of the system and the criminality associated with it.As part of this, we have explored likeminded states’ responses to similar situations in order to consider the various options that exist for deterring people from undertaking these dangerous journeys, exploring a range of options, including those that have been employed by other countries in similar situations. No decisions have been made by Ministers and we continue to work to find the right approach for the UK.

Treasury

Net Zero Review: Finance

Lord Browne of Ladyton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether an assessment of funding for (1) a low carbon reskilling strategy, and (2) a public engagement strategy, will be included in the Net Zero Review

Lord Agnew of Oulton: The objectives and scope of HMT’s Net Zero Review are set out in the terms of reference, published in November 2019, and are available on the GOV.UK website. The Review will explore how the transition to a net zero economy will be funded, and where the costs will fall. The Review will look at options for a balance of contributions between households, businesses and the taxpayer, and how to maximise economic growth opportunities from the transition.  The government has announced that the Review will be published in Spring 2021. In the meantime, HMT will publish an interim report this autumn 2020. This will set out our approach to the Review and analysis which will inform the final report.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Public Libraries: Coronavirus

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to guarantee the future of public libraries throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Baroness Barran: The Government is providing local councils with unprecedented support during the pandemic with a £4.3 billion package, including £3.7 billion which is not ringfenced and £600 million to support social care providers. This is part of a wider package of almost £28 billion which the Government has committed to support local areas, with funding going to councils, businesses and communities.DCMS has a statutory duty to superintend, and promote the improvement of, the public library service provided by local authorities in England. To assist delivery of this statutory duty, DCMS issued a joint letter with the Local Government Association to all local authorities in England requesting detail of restoration of their library services given the opening of physical library buildings is now permitted. This detail is assisting the department’s engagement with local authorities and its ongoing monitoring of library service provision.DCMS continues to work closely with Libraries Connected and other key stakeholders to ensure that the Libraries Connected Service Recovery Toolkit remains relevant and continues to assist libraries with their opening and reintroduction of their services during the pandemic.In response to the rise in demand for e-lending immediately following the closure of libraries in March, Arts Council England provided £151,000 (around £1,000 per library authority in England) to supplement existing e-book funding.

Travel Agents: Coronavirus

Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made, if any, of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on online travel agents.

Baroness Barran: We are regularly assessing Covid-19’s significant impact on tourism businesses. We recognise that these are extremely challenging conditions for those in the sector, including online travel agents.Online travel agents that employ staff in the UK have been able to access the Government’s comprehensive economic support package, which includes the Coronavirus Jobs Retention Scheme, the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme and the Bounce Back Loans scheme.When it launches in November, the Jobs Support Scheme will help protect jobs within businesses facing lower demand due to Covid-19.We are continuing to engage across Government and with stakeholders to assess how we can most effectively support the recovery of tourism across the UK.

Tourism: Coronavirus

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on tourism; and what steps they are taking to mitigate any such impact.

Baroness Barran: We are regularly assessing Covid-19’s significant impact on the tourism sector.The Government has implemented a series of Covid-19 related financial measures that are assisting tourism businesses. This includes the significant cut to VAT for tourism and hospitality activities until the end of March, plus business rates relief for eligible retail, leisure and hospitality businesses in England.Tourism businesses can also continue to make use of the broader support package available to them. This includes the Bounce Back Loans scheme, the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme and the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.We are continuing to engage across Government and with stakeholders to assess how we can most effectively support the recovery of tourism across the UK.

Cricket: Coronavirus

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the ability of first class cricket clubs to remain in business during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Baroness Barran: This government’s multi-billion-pound package of business support has enabled many of our sports clubs to survive, but we know that the decision not to reopen stadia to spectators has had economic consequences for sports and clubs across the country who relied on those fans for income, including first class cricket clubs. We have asked sporting organisations, including the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), for detailed financial returns to see what support they need, and we will work at pace with them to understand the issues that organisations in the most challenging circumstances are facing and what support they may require.The ECB has been a valued partner in both the creation and application of the guidance that has enabled the return of elite sporting competition.They successfully delivered a programme of behind closed doors sport to the highest standards of safety for competitors and support staff, securing broadcast revenue which will benefit the whole game at this challenging time.I am grateful also to those clubs who have piloted the return of spectators so far. The Government will continue to work closely with the Sports Ground Safety Authority (SGSA) and a whole range of sports to understand the latest thinking that might allow spectators to return. This includes the creation of a new Sports Technology Innovation Working Group of sporting bodies and health experts to analyse new technologies which might support this. Ministers and officials will continue to engage with the ECB as part of this process.